St. Louis crime family
The St. Louis crime family,Devico, pp. 197-202Dietche, pp.150 also known as the Giordano crime family, is an American Mafia crime family based in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. History Prohibition era Mafia activity was recorded in St. Louis as early as the mid-1890s.Waugh, pp. 1-2 By the early 1910s, the recognized Mafia boss in St. Louis was Dominick Giambrone.Waugh, pp. 30 During the prohibition era in St. Louis, there were seven different ethnic gangs; the Green Ones, the Pillow Gang, the Egan's Rats, the Hogan Gang, the Russo Gang, the Shelton Gang and the Cuckoos all fighting to control illegal rackets in the city. The seven rival gangs continued fighting until the end of Prohibition. By this time, the various Mafia factions now functioned as one family.Waugh, pp. 228-229 Giordano and the Detroit family After Tony Lopiparo's death, Anthony Giordano became boss and declared independence from the Kansas City crime family. In the 1970s, Giordano along with Detroit mobsters Anthony Joseph Zerilli and Michael Polizzi attempted to gain control of the Frontier Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. They failed and all three men were convicted of conspiracy. In 1975, Giordano was sent to prison, his nephew Vincenzo Giammanco became the acting boss until Giordano was released in December 1977. On August 29, 1980, Giordano died from cancer in his St. Louis home. Trupiano era In 1982, Matthew Trupiano took over the family. He was a powerful boss and was president of Local 110 of the Laborers Union. Trupiano was charged with conducting an illegal gambling operation and with labor racketeering, including the embezzlement of union benefit funds. He was found guilty and sent to three years in prison in 1992. Trupiano died on October 22, 1997. Current status Currently, the St. Louis crime family has stayed under the radar of both local and federal authorities. It is alleged that Anthony "Nino" Parrino is the current boss of the St. Louis crime family. The last known underboss was Joseph Cammarata.Auble, pp. 105 Historical leadership Boss (official and acting) *c.1890's-1912 — Unknown *c.1912-1923 — Dominick Giambrone – fled; murdered, 1934.Waugh, pp. 30-62, 229-230. *1923-1927 — Vito Giannola Waugh, pp. 64-139 *1928-c.1937 — Frank Agrusa Waugh, pp. 139-240 *c.1937-1943 — Thomas Buffa Waugh, pp. 231 *1943-c.1950 — Pasquale Miceli *c.1950 — Vincent Chiapetta Bureau of Narcotics, pp.249 *c.1950-1960 — Anthony "Tony Lap" Lopiparo – was the son of a St. Louis mobster, he died in 1960. *1961-1980 — Anthony "Tony G." Giordano – as boss he declared independence from the Kansas City family. Imprisoned 1975-1977, he died on August 29, 1980 from cancer"Part I of the Leisure War: A Reason to Die" by Ronald J. Lawrence (CrimeMagazine.com) **''Acting'' 1975-1977 — Vincenzo "Jimmy" Giammanco – was Giordano's nephew *1980-1982 — John "Johnny V." Vitale. – he died on June 5, 1982 *1982-1997 — Matthew "Mike" Trupiano, Jr. – was Giordano's nephew from Detroit; he died in 1997 *1997–present — Anthony "Nino" Parrino *2001-defunct — Adam Crocco (Soldier)Waugh, pp. 64-139 Historical Italian gangs in St. Louis *'The Green Ones' — was a Sicilian gang led by Vito Giannola. On September 9, 1927 gang member Alfonse Palazzolo was murdered. Then on December 28, 1927 the leader of the gang Vito Giannola was murdered. Remaining members gang members fled the city. *'The Russo Gang' — was a splinter group of the Green Ones, led by Tony Russo, they were allies to Pillow gang leader Fresina. After the murders of Giannola and Palazzolo they fought with the Pillow gang. By 1928 the three remaining Russo brothers fled St. Louis.Waugh, pp. 231-233 *'The Pillow Gang' — was an Italian gang led by Pasquale Santino from 1911 to 1927 when he was murdered. Carmelo Fresina took control of the gang until his murder in 1931. The gang was then led by Thomas Buffa who became boss of the St. Louis Mafia family. In 1943, Buffa fled the city and was murdered in 1947 in Lodi, California. References Sources *DeVico, Peter J. The Mafia Made Easy: The Anatomy and Culture of La Cosa Nostra. Tate Publishing, 2007. ISBN 1-60247-254-8 *Dietche, Scott M. The Everything Mafia Book: True Life Accounts of Legendary Figures, Infamous Crime Families, and Chilling Events, Everything Books, 2009. ISBN 159869-779 *Waugh, Daniel. Gangs of St. Louis: Men of Respect. Charleston: The History Press, 2010. ISBN 978-1-59629-905-4 *Auble, John. A History of St. Louis Gangsters: A Chronology of Mob Activity on Both Sides of the River Ranging from the Egan Rats to the Last Mob Leader on Record. The National Criminal Research Society. 2002. ISBN 097-1340-900 *Bureau of Narcotics. The United States Treasury Department. Giancana, Sam. Mafia: The Government's Secret File on Organized Crime. Skyhorse Publishing, 2007. ISBN 160-239-668 External links *American Gangland: Giordano Crime Family *Mafia-International "St. Louis Family Chart" Category:Gangs in St. Louis, Missouri Category:Italian-American crime families fr:Famille de Saint-Louis